011. India’s Defence Exports Hit ₹23,622 Crore – A New Strategic Surge 🛡️
Defence, Economy, International Relations, Industry Growth
By IAS Monk / April 2, 2025


📈 Defence Exports – The Numbers
- FY 2024–25 Total: ₹23,622 crore
- Growth: 12.04% (up ₹2,539 crore from last year)
- Private Sector: ₹15,233 crore
- DPSUs: ₹8,389 crore (growth of 42.85%)
🧾 Authorisations & Policy Reforms
- 1,762 export authorisations (↑16.92% from last year)
- Streamlined licensing, longer validity, digital tracking
- Easier onboarding of new exporters under simplified policy rules
🌍 Global Market Reach
| Leading Importers | US 🇺🇸, Israel 🇮🇱, Germany 🇩🇪 |
|---|---|
| Total Countries | ~80 |
| → Includes artillery shells, guns, radars, and small arms |
🎯 Future Export Targets
| Year | Target Export Value |
|---|---|
| FY 2025–26 | ₹30,000 crore |
| FY 2029 | ₹50,000 crore |
- Initial 5-year vision: ₹35,000 crore set by Modi Government
- Focus: Aerospace, small arms, indigenous platforms
🌐 Impact of Global Conflicts
- Russia–Ukraine & Israel–Hamas wars drive military demand
- India emerging as affordable & reliable defence partner
- Shift from just importers to collaborative developers
🇮🇳 Atmanirbhar Defence Drive
- Strong pivot from import-dependence to local innovation
- Supported by:
➤ Make in India – Defence
➤ Defence Testing Infrastructure Scheme (DTIS)
➤ Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020
📚 Relevance for UPSC
- GS2: International Relations
- GS3: Indigenisation of Technology, Defence Sector
- Essay: “Peace through strength—India’s silent arsenal of global diplomacy.”
✨ Closing Whisper
“Each exported shell, each sanctioned radar carries the echo of a rising republic—strong enough to build, and wise enough to shield.”
🔥 A Thought Spark – by IAS Monk
Defence exports are no longer a footnote in India’s industrial report.
They are the new avatar of soft power, not by poets or performers—but by precision metal and calibrated code.
It’s not a marketplace of war—it’s a declaration of ability, responsibility, and autonomy.
